James Shumate
Agency patch
Chief of Police

James Shumate

LaFollette Police Department — LaFollette, TN
Felonious
End of Watch February 20, 1898
Badge CHIEF
The Vigil Panel 14 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Chief Shumate was shot and killed while attempting to arrest an intoxicated man. During the arrest the suspect produced a revolver and shot Chief Shumate. Despite being mortally wounded, the chief was able to raise to his knees and shot the suspect four times, killing him.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-4AD55D90
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

128 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Chief of Police Shumate served with the LaFollette Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the LaFollette community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location LaFollette, Campbell County, TN
Platform Identity lpd.campbell.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 20, 1898
Badge Number CHIEF
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Chief of Police James Shumate is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 64.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At LaFollette Police Department, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

LaFollette Police Department
3
of 4 officers
75% Felonious
TN — Statewide
498
of 769 officers
64.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Shumate's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How James Shumate Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Shumate is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Shumate was killed by gun; unknown type.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909